Chief Business Development Officer

Chief Business Development Officer

This central and critical role is responsible for driving organizational growth by leading the business development strategy and owning the organization's earned revenue outcomes. Key responsibilities include cultivating high-level strategic partnerships, defining the overarching growth strategy, overseeing partnership outreach and usage, and directing broad marketing initiatives. As part of a small, intentionally lean team, the person in this role must exercise high levels of ownership and initiative to meet their objectives. This position is supported by a dedicated Marketing Coordinator.

Location: Los Angeles (Hybrid with in-office days)

Start Date: Late Summer 2026

Salary: $130,000-$160,000

Uprooted Academy is committed to equity and transparency in our hiring practices. To support fairness across our team and reduce bias in salary negotiations, we do not negotiate individual salaries outside of the posted band. Compensation for this role is set based on the scope of responsibilities and external market benchmarks for similar roles in the nonprofit and education sectors. Starting salary within the range is determined by role scope and qualifications, with new hires starting towards the lower or middle end to allow for growth with performance. Uprooted Academy does not base compensation on individual candidate salary expectations and is committed to maintaining internal equity.

Business Development and Partnership Oversight

• Own and refine the organization's business development strategy, determining where and how to expand, what partnerships to prioritize, and how to align growth efforts with research and impact goals.
• Oversee the end to end journey with school partnerships, cultivate technology integrations, and develop strategic partnerships with ed-tech companies to position Uprooted Academy as a preferred testing partner to validate and scale innovations.
• Ensure partner sites are active participants in our research agenda by coordinating the deployment of new product features and research inquiries, translating field feedback into actionable insights that shape our product roadmap.
• Visit a partner school at least once per week, engaging directly with students, counselors, and administrators to identify what's working, what isn't, and where the experience can improve.
• Support efforts to secure funding that drives district and COE adoption, including local foundation sponsorships and RFP responses to support direct partner growth.

Marketing

• Develop and implement a comprehensive partnership marketing strategy, focusing on the cultivation of new partnerships with schools, technology organizations, and funders.
• Develop and execute a strategic marketing approach to capture and disseminate key learnings, showcasing partnership successes and research outcomes. This includes producing high-impact, external-facing content—such as case studies and impact reports—designed to amplify our influence across the field.

Leadership

• Manage and coach the Director of Sales and Director of Success to ensure a strong and seamless partner lifecycle from acquisition through adoption and renewal, proactively identifying roadblocks and driving solutions across teams.
• Represent the organization externally by speaking on panels at events and conferences to discuss our work and impact. This includes meeting with potential funders, district leaders, and other partners.
• Collaborate within the leadership team to support and advance the organization's long-term strategic objectives.
• Actively participate in product development.

Who You Are

You are a strategic leader who has operated at the intersection of education, technology, and systems change. You are energized by partnership-building, comfortable navigating school districts, ed-tech companies, and funders in the same week, and deeply committed to closing the opportunity gap for students. You bring the urgency of a founder and the patience to build something that lasts.

Qualifications

• Leadership experience in business development, strategic partnerships, or growth within edtech, K-12 districts, or high-impact non-profits.
• Proven track record of building complex partnerships and moving organizations from "direct service" to "systemic infrastructure" models.
• Ability to navigate and bridge the gaps between school district leadership, VC-backed tech platforms, and philanthropic funders.
• Experience negotiating non-traditional agreements, including white-labeling, tech-validation partnerships, and R&D-as-a-service.
• Proven ability to manage and coach mission-driven teams.
• A natural systems thinker, pattern-finder who can turn school-level insights, research and partnership learnings into scalable field guides and artifacts.
• Deep commitment to education equity and a belief in prioritizing deep efficacy over shallow scale.
• Thrives in an entrepreneurial work environment.

Perks

• Generous PTO – Enjoy two weeks off in the winter and one week off is summer, plus additional paid time off.
• Comprehensive health and wellness benefits
• 401k match
• Laptop + hotspot with unlimited data
• Membership to Schools First Credit Union
• Professional development stipend
• Annual Team Retreat – A fully planned retreat to recharge, strategize, and build community.
• And More! – We're always adding benefits that support our team's well-being and growth.

Why Join Uprooted Academy?

• Work in a mission-driven organization that is expanding college access through AI-powered innovation.
• Join a fast-paced, collaborative team that values iteration, learning, and bold ideas.
• Hybrid work flexibility with up to 3 days in-person in Los Angeles.

Hiring Process

• Phase I:
  • Application Submission
  • Introductory Call: Discovery chat with the Chief of Staff.
• Phase II:
  • Reference Review: Professional reference checks
  • Executive Interview: 1:1 conversation with the CEO.
  • Strategic Panel Interview (Recorded): A 45-minute deep dive with a panel of key stakeholders:
    • Moderator: Chief of Staff.
    • Panelists: Three members, one internal and two external
• Phase III: A two-week paid working session (approx. 10 hours total) with the CEO.
• Phase IV: Final chat (in-person) with the CEO